“Unavoidable” Home Office delays disrupt January intake
The Home Office has written to UK universities to explain that “mandatory checks” have caused “unavoidable delays” for students hoping to enrol in the January intake.
Despite institutions issuing CAS numbers as early as September 2025, some applicants have been experiencing long delays as they wait for the outcome of their visa application. The situation has meant that many students have missed the start date for their course as they have been unable to travel.
In communications seen by The PIE, the Home Office has invited universities to extend the latest day of acceptance for any student still waiting on a visa decision, in a bid to clear a backlog that has extended into the month of February.
Pakistan has been widely reported as experiencing visa delays, however, a wider range of nationalities appear to have been impacted than initially expected, with university stakeholders reporting applicants from other South Asian and African countries still awaiting decisions.
Syed Nooh, head of global insights and market development at the University of East Anglia spoke to The PIE, explaining that “a number of colleagues across the sector” had raised the alarm that “up to 50% of students were still awaiting a decision” for the winter intake.
“At UEA, we issued almost all CAS numbers before Christmas to ensure students had ample time to submit their visa applications. Despite this proactive approach, a significant number of our students are still awaiting visa decisions,” continued Nooh.
The PIE also spoke to a Russell Group university representative who described the level of delays in visa decisions as a “new” and “concerning” scenario for the institution.
Katie Layt, director of partnerships and growth at Enroly, has been exploring CAS issuance data on the platform, revealing that while individual institutions and students have been experiencing problems, the overall trend has been faster CAS processing than the same previous year.
“The recent uptick in India and Nigeria processing times reflects seasonal patterns rather than systemic delays,” explained Layt.
“Both countries are still processing significantly faster than last January (down 17% and 25% respectively). While we’re seeing a temporary spike from their December lows, these remain within normal ranges. We’re monitoring all key markets closely to identify any emerging trends.”
When asked for further information on the mandatory checks causing delays, a Home Office spokesperson told The PIE: “All visa applications are assessed on individual merit in line with immigration rules.”
“Where further information or checks are required, decisions may take longer. This helps prevent abuse of the immigration system and non-genuine students, including individuals who attempt to use the student route to claim asylum in the United Kingdom.”
Where further information or checks are required, decisions may take longer. This helps prevent abuse of the immigration system and non-genuine students, including individuals who attempt to use the student route to claim asylum in the UK
UK Home Office
Many UK universities have been performing pre-emptive compliance controls by pausing recruitment from countries that are perceived to be higher compliance risk, in accordance with Home Office action plans.
They are attempting to meet new Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) metrics that were outlined in the government’s white paper on immigration, where breach of a tighter five-percentage-point benchmark for visa refusals may result in the revocation of a university’s sponsor licence or damage to reputation through a public red-amber-green rating system.
If a student exceeds the latest date of acceptance listed on their CAS number, they are likely to to be refused a visa. Consequently, many applicants have now been deferred or withdrawn already as universities cannot risk potential visa rejections.
It is not clear how many decisions remain outstanding for students who are still in a position to travel and start their courses in the UK.
The situation comes at a time when university stakeholders are reacting to a new international education strategy that prioritises diplomatic support for activity delivered overseas. The strategy has been criticised for failing to address the ongoing disconnect between immigration policy and international education policy at home.
There is hope that the Home Office will join a new Education Sector Action Group (ESAG) to help improve visa issuance and service standards for future intakes, including improve data infrastructure.
The PIE understands that some universities are seeking legal advice on the potential impact of visa rejections and delays linked to UKVI operational standards, the accuracy of immigration data and the timing of when BCA metrics will be measured and made public.
Join us at The PIE Live Europe 2026 as we discuss navigating success and setbacks in high risk markets, the impact of the new BCA requirements in admissions, and the UK’s new international education strategy. See the agenda here.
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